Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday said that today theatres are running houseful in Srinagar after decades and there is no sight of separatists in the Valley.
Replying to the debate on President’s address in Lok Sabha, PM Modi said that those who feared that hoisting the national flag in Srinagar could cause disturbance themselves undertook a ‘Tiranga Yatra’.
He said today people can go freely to Jammu Kashmir because of the normal situation and after decades all records have been broken in Jammu and Kashmir.
“Today people are celebrating the festival of democracy in Jammu and Kashmir and every household is hoisting a tricolour. Some people would say by hoisting the tricolour, the situation would deteriorate in Jammu and Kashmir. Now see the time those people have themselves participated in Tiranga Yatra there,” he said.
Taking a dig at Rahul Gandhi over hoisting the national flag at Srinagar during Bharat Jodo Yatra, PM Modi said he already did so in January 1992 despite threats from militants, and without security.
He said those who came back from J&K recently must have seen the situation on ground and how one can roam freely on the streets of Kashmir.
“I too had gone on a Yatra to J&K with resolve to hoist Tricolour at Lal Chowk. Militants had put up posters and threatened about hoisting the flag at Lal Chowk,” he said.
He added that day on 24th January 1992, at a public rally, he had said militants pay heed, on 26th Jan, sharp at 11am he will reach Lal Chowk without security & bulletproof jacket.
“It will be decided there and then who cam hoist the flag. Then I hoisted the Tricolour at Lal Chowk without any security,” he said. (KNS)